Weekly Round-Up!

Each week, we reflect on the top articles, blog posts, tweets, news, thoughts, and other tidbits we’ve found interesting or useful. Enjoy!

Kendra

The UCI Libraries have released an innovative online discoverytool for its Artists’ Books Collection which allows searchers to visualize connections between works in ways not possible with a traditional library catalog. The National Endowment of the Humanities (NEH) funded project, “Piloting Linked Open Data for Artists’ Books,” allowing the Libraries’ to create procedures for enhancing description and access to 41 digitized items from the collection housed in the Libraries’ Special Collections and Archives. The graphical interface shows connections between materials used, techniques applied, and publication locations while providing multiple digital views of each piece of unique sculptural art.

Annie

This week the ALA came out against a change in Rule 41, a little known law that regulates federal law enforcement’s ability to remotely hack into computers. Under the newly expanded law, the FBI will be able to hack into computer systems outside of the district that gave them a warrant. Although a boon for cybersecurity, the ALA and others believe Rule 41 could pose a threat to privacy. A last minute Congressional attempt to postpone the law’s implementation failed last Wednesday.

In lighter news, the Wall Street Journal this week published an essay in praise of reading that should make any librarian’s heart glad (and includes some excellent book suggestions.)